Ticket to Ride
by SpyKid18
Summary: She should have guessed accepting a ride from Logan Echolls would land her in jail.  Of course.  Set in Season 2.  LoVe


**A/N: Just started watching V. Mars and subsequently fell in love with LoVe. This is set in Season 2, before Logan meets Hannah. Because that storyline was pretty much useless. Hope you enjoy!**

Ticket to Ride

I love my Le Baron. Really, usually it's rustic charm hits me right in the chest, but when it refuses to start, possibly leaving me stranded at my beloved Neptune High, I find myself a bit short on Le Baron love. Staring down at the labyrinth of tubes and mechanisms, I recognize that my limited knowledge of cars probably will not get me out of this jam. Sighing, I slam the front hood down, jumping slightly when a horn sounds behind me. I turn around, finding the smiling face of Logan Echoll's peering at me through the window of his yellow SUV.

"Can I help you?" I ask, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder.

"Can I help _you_? Seems like you're the one in the bind here."

"I'm fine," I say, the prospect of being back in that car marginally nauseating. "I'm about to call my dad. He should be able to come. If not, well, I'll walk. I hear aerobic exercise is good for you, right?"

He leans forward and pushes the door open. "Just get in the car."

"I'm fine, really."

"I'm not leaving until you get in." A few other car horns sound and I glance back at them uncomfortably. I sure as hell am not getting in that car and Logan seems just as hell bent on holding up Neptune High traffic.

"Seems like we're in a bit of a stalemate, aren't we partner?"

"Just get in the car," he sing-songs. "I promise not to try anything."

"Sure you do," I answer easily. "You've met my taser."

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

Somewhere behind us someone yells out a string of expletives and I decide that perhaps it is for the greater good to push aside my usual Logan Echolls reservations and just get in his car. I do have my trusty taser, after all.

"Fine," I sigh, stepping up into his car. He seems pretty satisfied with himself as I strap in and I tell him, "Don't get any ideas. You are taking me straight home."

"You know, in some countries this would be an engagement."

"Well, thank God we don't live there. My dowry isn't nearly extensive enough for your tastes."

He grins, stealing a glance over at me as he says, "So, Veronica Mars, what have you been up to these fine days?"

"Oh, you know, doing homework, catching murderers. Nothing too exciting. How about you? Boink any other gold-digging second wives?"

"Pickings are slim."

"Ah, I see."

We pull out of the high school parking lot and I watch the speedometer climb. Catching a brief glance at a speed sign along the road, I warn, "Might want to slow it down a bit, sparky."

"I tend to read speed limits as speed guidelines."

"Look at you, you renegade. Putting both your life _and_ mine in danger." My saccharine grin hardens as I say, "Brake pedal. Use it."

"You need to relax," he argues easily, head resting against the seat as we speed down the road. He looks so relaxed that I want to strangle him. For all the hell he has put me through, all the hell he puts _himself_ through, he has no right to be so calm. He glances over at me and says, "You're always so hyped up."

"That's because I have to deal with people like you."

I sense some snarky response, but whatever he was going to say is cut off by the piercing sound of a police siren. He glances in the mirror and swears as he slows down, pulling onto the shoulder. I cross my legs and say, "Would it be in poor taste for me to say _I told you so_?"

"Yes, it would."

"Just saying, the signs are there for a reason."

A knock on the window and Logan brings down the window as Lamb peeks into the car. He grins when his eyes land on me and says, "Veronica Mars, why am I not surprised?"

"Sheriff Lamb, spending all his times on traffic violations. Why am _I _not surprised?"

He holds my gaze for a moment and then turns his attention to Logan. "You were going a bit fast there, Logan Echolls."

"I must have missed the sign," Logan says slowly. "I can't imagine how that happened!"

"License and registration," Lamb clips, holding out an empty hand. Logan leans over, offering me a cheeky grin as he says, "Excuse me, m'lady." I roll my eyes as he reaches over my legs to open the glove compartment while I push myself as much as possible into the seat. He rifles in there for quite a while and when I go to help him, my stomach drops at the sight of a gun pushed to the side of the glove compartment.

I think back to our run-in with the Fitzpatricks and swear inwardly at myself for ever getting in a car with Logan Echolls. Of course he would speed. Of course he would not have registration. _Of course_ he would have a gun.

I cover my hand with it, Logan and I exchanging a glance as he turns to tell Lamb that he doesn't have registration, but the stars seem to really misalign as the universe chooses to reward Lamb with one shining moment of sheriff intuition.

"What are you hiding there, Mars?" he asks, insinuation evident in his voice. "Move your hand."

Logan is tense beside me as I slide my hand away, revealing the black pistol. Lamb lets out a low whistle and says, "I'm guessing that is an unregistered gun."

"_Ding ding_," Logan says bitterly. "The sheriff gets it right for once."

Lamb's eyes flash. "An unregistered gun that your partner fruitlessly attempted to conceal." I know where he is going. It's about as clear as a _Go To Jail_ monopoly card. With a wide grin Lamb says, "I'm going to need you two to take a little ride with me."

* * *

I know jails are not designed to be comfortable, but the county jail here in Neptune could really use to spruce it up a bit. Sure, hard crime doesn't deserve a comfortable chair, but people unlucky enough to find themselves in a car whose driver not only does not have registration but reservations about unregistered firearms, too? Yeah, they deserve a decent seat.

"I see my overtures about that gun went right over your head," I say, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my legs. I turn my head toward Logan and say, "If you would have listened to me, we would not be in jail."

"That gun saved your life, if I remember correctly."

"Well, if I remember correctly, it also nearly got us killed."

Logan stares at me, his mouth screwed up into a frown, and I can't help but smile inwardly at the knowledge that I have finally frustrated him. Logan Echolls, good time kid, is never frustrated for long, though. His frown breaks into a slight smile and he says, "You know, you're kind of difficult."

"And you're kind of a pain in the ass."

"Love," he says tenderly. "It drips from every word."

"You do realize that you have landed me in jail, right?"

"Relax," he says, for the second time today. "My lawyers will be here soon and take care of everything."

I sit up straight and tuck my hair firmly behind my ears. "You know, just for once I'd like to be in jail for something that I am actually guilty of. Like, a crime that I actually committed."

"Yeah, that would be a trip."

I look over at him and say, "Yes, it _would_ be a trip. But no, I am instead here paying for someone else's stupidity."

"Your veiled insults are beautiful."

"Well, I'm only here because of your blatant disregard for speed limits." My thoughts return again to our run-in with the Fitzpatricks, something my mind tends to do often, and my mouth starts to run off on its own. "You have a thing for endangering yourself, don't you? Drinking yourself to stupidity. Speeding. Pulling guns on gangs."

"I only did that to save you," he says.

I look over at him and murmur, "You're going to get yourself killed, Logan."

"So?"

I don't understand him. I don't understand how he can be so cavalier when the thought of his death makes my stomach turn. I can't imagine my life without him, without his irritating remarks and stupid grin.

"I never pegged you as having a death wish," I finally say.

He shrugs. "I know you all expect it. I'm a fuck up, Veronica. The son of a murderer and a suicidal pill-popper, everyone's just waiting for the final blow. No one will be surprised. They'll add a brief note to the Aaron Echolls Lifetime movie and then move on to the next 09er tragedy."

"That's not true," I say softly, more bothered by his words than I could readily admit. "Logan-"

"So, make sure to say something nice at my funeral."

"Stop," I snap, my hands balled into fists. He looks over at me, surprised by my outburst. I don't know how my face looks, but it must betray a bit of my inner frustrations because he lays a hand on my shoulder and says for the third time, "Relax."

"I can't."

"It was just a joke, Veronica. Really, it was just a stupid joke."

I glance at him for a moment, hoping the glassiness that I feel in my eyes is not too noticeable. I sniff quietly and tell him, "You need to get better material."

"I promise next time to bring my A-game."

"Logan Echolls."

Both of us look up, a deputy standing at the bars. Logan responds to his name being called and the deputy unlocks the door as he says, "You're free to leave."

I stand up with Logan but the deputy holds up a hand and says, "Only you, Mr. Echolls."

"What?"

"We're waiting for someone to post bail for Mars."

Logan looks back at me and I tell him, "Go on. Daddy Mars will be getting a phone call soon."

Logan turns back to the deputy and asks, "How much is bail?"

I watch him pull out his wallet as the deputy tells him bail is 150 dollars. I move to tell Logan to put his wallet away but the kid is pretty nimble with bills and before I can say anything the money is exchanged and he is gesturing for me to follow him. I fall into line beside him and say, "I'll pay you back."

"Don't worry about it. Think of it as a reroute fee. I did promise to take you straight home, after all."

"That you did," I concede.

There is a car waiting outside the jail and he opens the door for me, telling me with a flowery hand movement that I should climb in first. He sits beside me and we drive toward the Mars house. A silence falls between us, both of us waiting for the other to break it first.

"I'm sorry," he says after a moment. "For, um, for getting you landed in jail."

"People care, you know," I tell him, thinking of what he said earlier. "Your friends care."

"And you?"

His hand is beside mine on the seat and I hesitate for a moment before covering it with my own. It is meant as a friendly gesture, but I feel something stir when his fingers curl around my own. A voice tells me that I should let go. In fact, logic, reason, and several other reputable things tell me that I should let go, but I don't. My hand stays in his and we stay that way for the rest of the ride, neither of us talking.

When the car stops in front of my house he lets go of my hand and carefully lays it on his lap. He gives me a small dip of his head and a jaunty salute as he says, "Good bye, Veronica Mars."

I step out of the car and am making my way to the front door when I hear him call my name. I turn and he says from the open window, "What time should I pick you up tomorrow?"

"Huh?"

"Seems we're both out of a car for the next few days."

"Last time I checked, you have several on reserve."

"Okay, let me rephrase that. You are out of a car for the next few days." I smile slightly and nod. "So, what time?"

"You promise to obey all traffic laws?" I ask, cocking my head to the side as his lips press into a smirk.

"What time?"

"Logan," I warn.

"Yes," he sighs. "I will obey each and every traffic law I encounter. Now, please tell me what time to come here tomorrow."

I know it probably is not the smartest move to get in another car with Logan. There are many reasons why I should say no but none of them are weighty enough to stop my saying, "Eight."

"Cool, I'll see you then."

The car pulls away and I call after it, "Don't be late!"

The last sight of Logan that I am awarded with is his hand waving at me through the window. Biting back a smile, I turn and walk back into the house. Although I won't admit it aloud, I'm sort of looking forward to this new carpool.

**A/N: This is my first Veronica Mars fic. Any good?**


End file.
